Your Vagina Isn't Just Too Big, Too Floppy, and Too Hairy—It's Also Too Brown Your Vagina Isn't Just Too Big, Too Floppy, and Too Hairy—It's Also Too Brown Go to permalink Good news, ladies! Society has discovered another new thing that's wrong with you, which means another opportunity for you to make yourself more attractive for your man. Score! Turns out, the color of your vagina is gross and everyone hates it. So bleach that motherfucker. Bleach it right now! In this commercial for an Indian product called Clean and Dry Intimate Wash, a (very light-skinned) couple sits down for what would have been a peaceful cup of morning coffee—if the woman's disgusting brown vagina hadn't ruined everything! The dude can't even bring himself look at her. He can't look at his coffee either, because it only reminds him of his wife's dripping, coffee-brown hole! Fortunately, the quick-thinking woman takes a shower, scrubbing her swarthy snatch with Clean and Dry Intimate Wash ("Freshness + Fairness"). And poof!

Her vadge comes out blinding white like a downy baby lamb (and NOT THE GROSS BLACK KIND) and her husband—whose penis, I can only assume, is literally a light saber—is all, "Hey, lady! Cancel them divorce papers and LET'S BONE." Advertisement Needless to say, certain citizens are troubled by this product—which, in addition to just being fucking insane, brings up painful issues about the hierarchy of skin tone within the Indian community . As if it isn't bad enough that darker-skinned people are encouraged to stay out of the sun and invest in skin-bleaching products like Fair & Lovely , and that white actresses are being imported to play Indian people in Bollywood movies, now everyone has to be insecure about the fact that their vaginas happen to be the color that vaginas are??? Splendid! God, I was just saying the other day that my misogyny didn't have enough racism in it. So what are the pro-vadge-bleaching people thinking? Here's a hilarious explanation from a male ad exec: Advertisement It is hard to deny that fairness creams often get social commentators and activists all worked up. What they should do is take a deep breath and think again.

Lipstick is used to make your lips redder, fairness cream is used to make you fairer-so what's the problem? I don't think any Youngistani today thinks the British Raj/White man is superior to us Brown folk. That's all 1947 thinking! The only reason I can offer for why people like fairness, is this: if you have two beautiful girls, one of them fair and the other dark, you see the fair girl's features more clearly. This is because her complexion reflects more light. I found this amazing difference when I directed Kabir Bedi, who is very fair and had to wear dark makeup for Othello, the Black hero of the play. I found I had to have a special spotlight following Kabir around the stage because otherwise the audience could not see his expressions. See? It makes perfect sense. We just want our vaginas to reflect more light—is that so wrong? I mean, WHAT IF MY CAR BREAKS DOWN AT NIGHT AND I DON'T HAVE A REFLECTIVE ENOUGH VAGINA? Really, the ultimate one-vagina-to-rule-them-all would glow in the dark like one of those deep-sea fishes.

I need my vagina to attract more krill so my husband will fuck me again! (My husband is a whale.) Basically the idea is to get as far away as possible from any color that vaginas actually come in. Because that's what's at the heart of this type of thinking—the perfect vagina would be something that's not a vagina at all. How to Be a Hairy Woman: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Community Q&A Society puts a lot of pressure on women to be hairless. Underarm, leg and facial hair is considered socially unattractive in numerous cultures and yet forty percent of women experience the growth of facial hair, while the majority of women have body hair. [1] The removal of hair by shaving has often been used as an act of humiliation in ancient cultures, during wartime and in modern day prison systems; this same sense of humiliation is fostered when certain media driven beauty ideals insist that hair be removed to reflect feminine beauty. Having body hair is a sign of an adult body and proper sexual development. If you're a woman who likes keeping the hair that grows naturally on each part of your body, how do you deal with the fact that social preferences insist upon removal of your body and facial hair?

Since smoothness is equated with a beauty standard, does it mean you're not beautiful if you're hairy? Of course not. What it does mean is that you've chosen to keep what grows naturally and it's a choice as valid as any decision to remove it, if not more so. As a sexually mature woman who desires to keep her natural hair intact, questioning the ideal of hair removal can be challenging but it's also rewarding when you fulfill your personal choice. This article seeks to help you work through your personal choice to keep the natural hair in place on your body or face. Steps 1 Think through the reasons behind hair removal. Removal of certain parts of body and facial hair that grows naturally on the female body is viewed by some cultures as a beauty essential. This societal conditioning in itself is not a reason for you to shave off your body or facial hair. Obviously, if you want to do so, then that is totally your right but so is choosing not to; what matters is that it is your choice and not something you feel compelled to do. Some things to consider include: If the whole idea of keeping your body hair intact causes you to think "how gross?", think again.

Do you dislike the sight of your bodily hair or have you been conditioned to dislike it by societal pressure stating that it is not acceptable? This is a hard question to untangle but it's not one to back down from, especially if you find yourself spending a lot of time conforming to beauty ideals that impact your wallet, energies and self-esteem. Shaving bodily hair does not equate to cleanliness. This is about conformity to a body or feminine ideal, not about being dirty. You are clean whether you have body hair or not, provided you shower or bathe regularly. There is a large industry behind hair removal products. This is one fairly heavily marketed and socially condoned reason for obliging women to remove hair. 2 Confront your worries about turning off potential partners. There are plenty of men who like women with body or facial hair. [2] You may be assuming too much about men disliking it. Sure, some men have been conditioned to dislike it but there are plenty of men who find it erotic, beautiful or just plain normal.

Indeed, maybe it's a good indicator of how a man perceives you as a person or as an object when you reveal your hairier self… What you may find is that it is sometimes other women who will criticize your choice to remain hairy. Many European women are far less obsessed about the removal of body hair than their North American counterparts. And yet, their love lives and general relationships are certainly not suffering for being a little hairier! Women like Frida Kahlo, Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brooke Shields have at one time or other sported famous body hair. Just be aware that some men feel embarrassed to admit they like hairy women. You could be hiding your hairiness from him, he could be hiding his like for it from you, and this could just go on forever. Be honest and see what happens. 3 Focus on what you will gain by allowing your natural hair to remain in place. There are so many benefits to letting the hair grow where it will, that these might tip the scales in favor of keeping your natural hair. Time and money once spent on hair removal is now a thing of the past. Not to mention forgoing the pain from waxing and shaving nicks.

Gone is the after-pain of shaving or tweezing. And deodorant works just as well on hairy parts as on shaved parts (despite an oft-touted and unfounded insistence to the contrary). Standing up for freedom of choice as to how you, as a woman, express your beauty is a valuable gain. Finally but not least, you'll also start to discover the silent proportion of men who are just fine (and maybe even turned on by) hair on the female form. Having hair on your body or face can be a great way to pick the boys from the men (or the misogyny infected girls from the real women), the conformists from the true thinkers and the mature from the immature. People's reactions will tell you a great deal… Shaving pubic region hair can result in painful regrowth if the hairs become ingrown. This is definitely one area worth avoiding such painful outcomes! 4 Decide the extent to which you want to be a hairy woman. There are varying degrees of hairiness and anything you choose is fine. Some women prefer to shape out the monobrow, while some women are happy to shave their legs but keep armpit hair. Then, there are women happiest not to touch any of it.

The extent of hairiness rests with your personal comfort level, the reasons behind wanting to keep your natural body hair and even the style of clothing you wear normally. For some women, bleaching is a solution. Keep the hair but lessen its impact by bleaching it. Realize that this starts to get a little crazy when your leg skin bleaches too… You might want to look into professional bleaching services if you take this option seriously. Sometimes skin sensitivity or high pain levels in one region (such as the armpits) could cause you to leave one part of your body free from shaving while still shaving another part. Another possible choice is "seasonal hairiness". During winter, let it grow like wildfire, while in summer, tame the growth. 5 Care for your natural body hair that you keep. Whether you're keeping all of your body hair, parts of it or seasonally adjusting it, there are some helpful hair care tips to follow: Try to make any kept hair softer. Use hair conditioner on it regularly, but be careful around the pubic area. Brush body hair with a damp nail brush if you feel it looks messy. Otherwise, leave it well alone and it'll usually take care of itself.

If you wish, cut hair a little shorter with nail scissors to keep it looking neat and even. Keep clean. If you don't have time to shower, wash your underarms at the sink with shower gel as you would in the shower, then apply deodorant. Avoid shaving if you do choose to remove any hair. Stubble is prickly and not as soft as grown hair. It can lead to irritated skin and ingrown hairs . Go for waxing or laser treatment for any hair you want removed. 6 Deal with put downs and critical comments with grace and dignity. There will always be someone with a thoughtless, less-than-insightful comment seeking that you conform to their notion of the beauty ideal. There are several possible ways to respond to unkind words said about your choice to keep your natural body or facial hair: Say nothing. Simply smile and turn away from them. Ask them if they'd feel the same way about getting rid of hair if all of their hair suddenly fell out. Then comment on how funny it is that in a world where women would do anything not to go bald on top of the head, we insist that women go on removing naturally growing hair! Make a joke out of it. Probe them.

Ask them exactly what it is that they think is so gross about naturally growing body hair on the female form. Be prepared for a long discussion and a lot of rebuttal. Bear in mind that you can have quite a lot of fun with this one because "gross" is not a reason and getting to the real reason behind the person's dislike can be very revealing. Ask them if they really do prefer relegating women to the status of pre-adolescence by insisting on a beauty standard that infantilizes women. This is only for the woman who likes a good, potentially heated discussion that may, or may not, involve barbs about feminism. Stand your ground and call the bluffs as you see them. Stare them straight in the face and tell them that they have truly offended you. Leave it at that. 7 Be confident with your decision. People may not notice anyway, and if they do, who really cares? As with all things that matter to you personally in life, navigate toward the people who don't give a toss about your appearance or who are supportive. The rest you can do without. By all means remained well groomed (which is a different matter from appearance) but don't feel that you have to conform.

Being ashamed of your decision to stay hairy is a turn-off and can cause you to hide behind clothes and closed doors. Don't be ashamed; wear the hair proudly so that other women may also feel as confident as you do. Look for support online. There are online blogs, forums, and groups devoted to women who put the razor down. Community Q&A If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know. Tips If people try to tell you you're gross, ask them if they would like to shave off, say, your eyebrows, because someone else believed it looks "gross". If you have long, dark leg hair, avoid low-denier tights/socks etc. as they make the hair look untidy through bunching it up. Excessive bodily hair can be caused by disorders. Hirsutism (having too much hair) can make life unpleasant when a lot of hair intrudes on the chin, chest, breasts, upper lip and other areas where hair doesn't normally grow much. Speak to your doctor for advice if you're having to shave or wax such regions (a few stray hairs in any of these areas is perfectly normal).

Disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and ovarian tumors can all be at the heart of hirsutism. [3] Facial hair is less noticeable than you may think. if you believe bleaching it would flatter your face consider trying products like Jolen Crème that may make it less noticeable. Don't tell them that "they have offended you". They will laugh and ridicule you more. Warnings Making the decision to keep your body hair will come with some social ridicule. Remind yourself that if people choose to insult you, they are weak-minded and not worth your time. The media continues to be thoughtless, rude and obsessed when it comes to hairy women, especially famous women. A celebrity who has the slightest armpit stubble will have it blown up, a ring drawn around it and a claim in a magazine or website that she is "dirty", "unhygienic", "unkempt" or "lacking in the grooming department". All of this is pure nonsense aimed at selling sensationalist news and an attempt at reinforcing a one-sided beauty ideal. You may wish to inform entertainment journalists that it is unacceptable to spread such conformist and ill-informed prejudice.

Hair keeping and hair removal is a matter of personal choice, not a matter of hygiene, slovenliness or scandal. There are numerous websites for hairy women online. Just be careful if you're searching for them as a source of support or camaraderie, because a lot of them are sexually charged in nature; unless, of course, that's your thing! What do men think about women with hairy legs? - Telegraph Relationships What do men think about women with hairy legs? The Hairy Legs Club is an online movement that encourages women to ditch their razors. But are men supportive (or secretly repulsed), asks Tom Fordy An image posted on hairylegsclub.tumblr.com Photo: blogs.tumblr.com By Tom Fordy Comments Thousands of women, we're told, are signing up for the Hairy Legs Club – an online movement that encourages like-minded ladies to ditch the razor and flaunt their naturally hirsute limbs. But what are men supposed to think about it? A woman with more fuzz on her ankles than a Tour de France cyclist or Premier League footballer can be a strange, conflicting, unsettling sight for us gents. Deep down, we can be as modern and liberal as the next person.

We understand the importance of freedom of expression, of breaking gender cliches, of not conforming to social pressures, and of being comfortable in your own skin. But if we’re honest – really honest – few of us would say we prefer a hairy leg to a shaved one. Some men would no doubt say they find it disgusting. The focal point of the Hairy Legs Club is a tumblr account where women can post pictures and share their experiences and thoughts. Looking through it, there are some stories that emphasise why this a potentially important issue. One post tells the story of an Australian teacher who forced a pupil with learning difficulties to shave her armpits in front of the class. It's an appalling tale – and clearly it’s the culture of judgment and bullying that should be getting the chop here, not the poor girl’s armpit hair. Related Articles Image: hairylegsclub.tumblr.com But the shaving of body hair is a cultural thing, and that's why attitudes are so ingrained. Men have been conditioned for decades to find a certain image of femininity attractive, but does the Hairy Legs Club mean that we now risk being called sexist pigs if we endorse that image by saying we find shaved legs more attractive?

Breaking such deep-rooted conditioning is hard. Sexual desire is arguably man’s most powerful, primal urge, and no one is going to change our preferences overnight. Hopefully that doesn't make us sexist. Most modern men support pro-feminist agendas and we try to make amends for the sins of our fathers. But let's be honest, women aren't entirely blameless when it comes to projecting beauty stereotypes either. Fashion and glamour magazines, the multi-million-pound beauty industry, and high-profile female stars all promote a standardised, smooth-skinned feminine sexuality – they’re just as guilty as the much-criticised men’s mags of telling women how they should look, even if their approach is different. Clearly, the fact that a debate has been sparked means the Hairy Legs Club is a positive thing. Reading through the tumblr posts, the concept has been an inspiration for women to come out the hairy closet. Many of them talk about how their male partners have supported their decision to not shave or wax. Perhaps one day we'll get to a point where the matter won't even be an issue that needs discussing. But men in general have a long way to go before the image of a hairy woman’s body doesn’t make us recoil.

The Hairy Legs Club tumblr makes for interesting, right-on reading, but some of those legs are, let's be honest, extremely hairy – it's a startling sight, even for those of us who are used to our partners only shaving or waxing when necessary. Of course, some will say this campaign is not about men's preferences, and that the Hairy Legs Club really has nothing to do with men at all. And that's fine. It's none of our business, and we're not judging you. But if did want our opinion on the matter, most of us would probably say that diversity is a good thing, and that actually we're much more concerned about what a women is like under the skin, rather how much hair she's got on her body. Hairy or shaved, it shouldn’t matter. And I'm no position to judge anyone who refuses to reach for the razor blades just to keep their other half happy. I’ve had a beard for the last 15 years, largely due to laziness, and it would take something pretty spectacular for me to take up shaving again. Even if women told me on a daily basis that I looked more attractive without the hair, I think I’d struggle to keep it up.

And it certainly wouldn't occur to me to shave just for their benefit. So you see, sisters? I'm with you all the way. You are hairy... like ANIMAL! - YouTube You are hairy... like ANIMAL! Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Apr 1, 2010 duh... New Girlfriend Too Hairy Down There NEW GIRLFRIEND TOO HAIRY DOWN THERE DEAR MIDLIFE BACHELOR: I am 45, and my new girlfriend is 46 - we started dating about a week and a half ago, and we've been intimate twice. She is very hot and nice and smart and charming, but there's just this one thing that I'm having trouble getting past - she is too hairy down there. And I'm not really sure how to tell her without offending her or upsetting her. I really don't want to chase her off, and I don't think I'm being really picky. Her hair down there is like an inch long.

Does that seem strange to you? I've been with many other women in my life, and none have ever had this issue. She is a Latina if that makes any difference. How can I get her to trim it? What magic words do you recommend? What would YOU do? Rod MIDLIFE BACHELOR ANSWER: Thanks for writing in, Rod. [And if that is not your real name, then I'm seriously LOL] Anyway - I cannot say that I, personally, have ever run into a woman who was that hairy down there ... and no, I absolutely do not think that you are being too picky. An inch of hair down there is a lot of hair. Maybe there are men out there who like that kind of thing, but not me ... and no one that I know would find hair like that sexy. I find it fairly disgusting, and a major turn off - to be honest. But you say she is HOT, and obviously she has many qualities that make her very attractive to you ... so your best bet is to try to fix this situation in a hurry.

If it were me (instead of you) going through this, I probably would have just said (with a big smile) to her that second time of being intimate, and right when you've pulled her panties down, "We're gonna have to shave you right now" ... and then I would immediately have grabbed some electric clippers, and gone to work. And if she were to stop you, or get a little mouthy, I'd just tell her that this will be fun ... and to relax. If you find yourself getting some resistance, then tell her you are gonna shave yourself after you get done with her. Remember to keep things positive at all times ... preserve her self esteem during this whole process, otherwise you are going to hurt her feelings and/or upset her. You might even get your ass kicked. Now if your personality is such that you don't think you can get away with trying what I just suggested, you could always get her a gift certificate for a Brazilian wax at a local salon. Make sure to throw in a facial, too. If this is the route you go, then don't tell her she's too hairy - just tell her that you want to do something really nice for her that you both can enjoy.

One other piece of advice is - if you find that you cannot remedy this issue in a very short time, then I'd suggest dropping her. If you are like most of us - once something bugs us, it just festers and takes on a life of its own. In other words, if she won't take care of this - then I don't think it will bother you less two or three months from now ... it will just bother you more. It is kind of a personal hygiene issue, if you ask me ... and usually issues like that are not isolated ... which means you may discover other issues. Good luck to you, Sir. LADIES - if you have any suggestions for how Rod should handle this issue, please use the ADD COMMENT feature below! Use our commenting feature below to share your opinion on this question or answer, or to offer your own answer, or you can always choose to discuss this in the Midlife Forum ...

Natural Leg Hair: I Have Hairy Legs And Don't Care About Shaving | Gurl.com Hi im rufuya from philippines, i have a hairy legs and it doesnt matter to me , i was born like this , so ill be die like this some said do shave it , take some medicines , wax it , do something about that etc. but i refused them ! I just said to them that what ever i have , its Gods wonderful gift to me that i need to show and be proud of it , love or hate me , no problem about that ! I love my hairy legs <3 because the real essence of being beautiful is not in the flawless skin , its about the real you and how you express yourself Rei I actually find leg hair on women pretty hot~ Hairless legs, hairy legs, they can be both attractive. I’ll date someone whether they have leg hair or not, because there are far more important qualities to worry about in a romantic partner.

What bothers me is the double standard around body hair: Women are expected by men to keep their bodies smooth and hairless, and to have bodily hair growing is considered some sort of travesty that is met with comments like “please shave/laser/etc.”–in other words, people demanding that they remove their bodily hair just because they dislike it. Meanwhile, no expectation is made of men, which carries some pretty nasty implications. So do what you want with your body. If you like your body hairy, that’s fine. If you like to shave, that’s fine too. But please do it because you want to, not because society tells you to. Kayla I agree that it is a double standard. I am a very hairy woman that when I shave it comes back long the very next day. I am very self conscious when getting into a relationship with a guy because a lot of guys where I live like their ladies hairless wearing see threw shirts and shorts that show their lady bits. I’ve even been dumped many times for both my conservative clothing and how I don’t shave every day. So I always feel pressured into shaving.

Kayla Not to mention when I lost my virginity the guy I lost it to went around telling people i was a hairy monster which then made me more self conscious about shaving. T Hi! I don’t shave my legs either… but it’s mostly cause I’m too lazy…and even though I like the feel of my shaven legs, the day after it’s just stubble and ingrown hair and shit… oh well still too lazy! Nyteling I’m 17 and I live in a rather small town where apparently it’s customary for women to shave their legs. I hate it. I graduated last year and for the 5 years of highschool, I was bullied and ridiculed. This lasted 2 years before they realised I didn’t care. However, I did wax for important occasions (formal, debutantes etc) since my mother forbid me of using razors. I love going natural and it makes me feel good when I see stuff like this. It let’s me know I’m not the only one who loves their hair! <3 David I love a natural woman.

Its sexy So Im behind you 100% natural hair lover I recently asked my wife to grow out her hair everywhere on her body I love her leg hair her pussy hair for armpit hair we’ve also got into pegging and I’ve enjoyed that to both of these things are news to me but I really really grown fond of it but he recently when she gets mad at me she called me gay and says it out to be with a man that couldn be further from the truth why does she do this and what should I do about it I’ve enjoyed the natural state and don’t want to change it I know I’m not gay but it does hurt my feelings when she says there’s any advice natural hair lover Stupid tablet speak to chat I love her armpit hair and we have got into pegging even my tablet is insulting me beemack I love the look and feel of womens unshaved legs. I don’t know why some women destroy the looks of their beautiful legs with tattoos. Some nigga This has got to be one of the most disgusting posts I’ve ever seen shave your god damn legs!! Sid I bet you don’t.

Feeling sadly hairy girl hi, im asain and i really have hairy legs and i like it and everything but some people like make fun of me by it. I dont wanna shave my legs but i dont want to make it all darker and everything! can anyone help? emmy I love hairy legs and hairy women beemack do not listen to the critics. women with unshaved legs are the sexiest and the hottest women anywhere. jose I am happy about girls, who have found freedom in being natural. Yes, hairy legs are not looking so bad. Actually, they look very nice and feel soft. Blake Bedford Im 16 and i love girls that dont shave. I mean hair is a natural thing i dont understand why it has to be shaved. I actually find it more attractive for a girl to not shave at all not only because it looks hotter but because it shows confidence in themselves. Theo My wife doesn’t shave her legs/armpits in the winter and I LOVE it. She is so hot, even after 23 years of marriage, she turns me on. I love it when she wear pantyhose with hairy legs. A mature and smoking hot women!!!! mehboob butt i also same to you.

i love natural beauty. my feeling very hot when i see lady with hairy legs. doesnt matter as a man, i think this is perfectly right. i do find it less attractive though (its not my fault, ive been brainwashed since age 0) but i wouldnt care a about it not one bit if i dated a girl with some hair on her legs (depends how much and if she shows it to everyone, keeping your legs covered so you dont disturb other people is one thing, but having a lot of hair and wearing mini skirts while riding a crowded bus is something else, generely i wouldnt care, and even if i did care, women shouldnt care about what i care about their legs!) also i think if i had a girlfriend, it would be reasonable for her to shave her legs just for my enjoyment, and if she new it was for me and not for the razor blades companies, i dont think she would have minded shaving her legs, i know i wouldnt mind shaving mine xD Salomeja Hi! I’m raped how you get along with your nature. First, I’m from Europe and, maby, my english is a little imperfect. Sorry for that.

Next, I feel unconfortable during shaving prosedure. That hurts me. So, I do it when there is neccesity such as going to swimpool or if I want to wear a skirt. However, I want to praise you. Yeach, that’s the reality. That’s how we, women, really look. So, that’s it:) Stephen Williams Body hair on women was a very accepted thing up until the 1920’s. Prior to that decade ALL American women did not shave anywhere on their body. Then the razor blade companies went on a campaign to maximize profits by spreading the lie that leg and underarm hair was “BAD” on women. Women began shaving those areas, but the pubic region remained untouched until the late 1990’s when that lie about body hair spread to the pubic region. This enabled corporations to rake in untold sums on razors, lasers and waxes to satisfy misplaced notions of vanity. Bottom line…the pubic region on both men and women needs to remain unshaven, it was NEVER addressed in the 1920’s as it was a ‘private” area out of public view.

Some of the classiest women in history sported full pubic bushes and it is indeed a classic, iconic look on women. It is not “unhygienic”, “bad grooming” or “a 70’s thing”. Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Bettie Page and Elizabeth Taylor all had thick full bushes. Kate Middleton has a full bush and Prince William LOVES it. Leg and underarm hair were never shaven in Europe and it was as accepted as a natural part of a woman’s body. The key is every woman should have CHOICE and not be put down for what she chooses. If you like your legs unshaven, so be it, plenty of men share your like. I am male and I love body hair on women. House Call Doctor : Why Am I So Hairy? :: Quick and Dirty Tips ™ October 14, 2010 Page 1 of 2 Hair on men is a sign of their virility; hair on women—eh, not so much. Many of my patients often look a tad embarrassed when asking me about finding hair in places they don’t think it belongs.

So that’s why today I want to talk about hirsutism, which is the fancy medical term used to describe excess hair on the body or hair found in various parts of the body that women often feel ashamed to have. For instance, many of my patients complain that they find hair growth on the breasts, above the upper lip, on the chin, on the fingers, stomach, or feet. Could this be normal? After all, these are locations where men are supposed to grow hair, “not women,” right? Wrong! And ladies, if you’re wondering if you’re normal for having hair in these places, I’m here to tell you you’re not alone. Why Am I So Hairy? First of all, remember that television and magazines wax, shave, pluck, and airbrush every millimeter of exposed skin. Not many real women look like the hairless and perfectly-smooth-appearing women who seem to so effortlessly float on the beach on shows like the old classic, Baywatch. Television just makes it appear as though they are naturally hair-free. The truth is most women have some hair in places where they don’t want it. It’s so common that I see it almost every day in the office.

Being hairy is genetic and it can be more common in certain cultures and backgrounds--and you can thank your wonderful parent’s for passing on their super hairy genes to you. What Is a Normal Amount of Hairiness? It’s normal to be hairy…to some extent. Though most of us don’t naturally look like a Baywatch babe, it’s not normal to look like “Cousin It” from The Addams Family, either. Even though there is not a well-defined set of rules on what is considered medically “normal,” a good rule of thumb to go by is if the amount of hair growth is bothersome and interferes with your quality of life, then it’s time to get it checked out. In general, a little bit of peach fuzz here and there is common and normal in most women. A few stray hairs on the chin, upper lip, or breasts may be normal. But if you are finding yourself having to actually shave or wax because there are just too many to simply pluck, it may be time to get it checked out. Hairy Men - AskMen AskMen Messages You have no messages Notifications You have no notifications Shares This post originally appeared on The Good Men Project . It is unedited by AskMen.

I love body hair. To me, nothing is sexier than Burt Reynolds in all of his naked, hairy glory on a bearskin rug. Chest hair, leg hair, facial hair… Be still, my heart! I have even come to appreciate a dusting of back hair. Unfortunately, I live in a world that encourages men to remove it all. Chest hair removal harkens back to ancient Egypt, where hair removal was common to protect against fleas, lice and other infestations. In ancient times, lack of body hair was often indicative of civility, with ancient Greek men removing their body hair to appear more youthful and refined, and ancient Egyptian priests practicing hair removal in order to present a pure image to their gods. Male body hair removal was less common in Europe, as body hair was generally accepted in early Christian Europe and even considered lucky by certain groups, such as Jewish Europeans in the Middle Ages. For the longest time, body hair simply wasn’t an area of concern for European men. The influence of Europe in global fashion trends helped hairier men to be seen as sexy throughout the 1960s and 70s.

In contrast to the mild popularity of hairless chests in American films in the 1950s, such as Marlon Brando ’s in A Streetcar Named Desire, European productions showed masculine chests in all of their hairy glory. Sean Connery and his furry torso on the beach in the very popular James Bond film Dr. No helped usher in a fantastically hirsute era in which the Burt Reynoldses, Tom Sellecks and Alec Baldwins of the world could bare their sexy man-rugs without shame. Sadly, a recent poll suggested that these days, 49% of women prefer hairless chests. Part of me wonders how this preference has evolved. Like many of the pressures put on women and their bodies, this figure is undoubtedly heavily media-influenced. The late 1980s ushered in another era of hairless chests — from the covers of Harlequin Romances to a hairless Sylvester Stallone slugging out an equally hairless Dolph Lundgren in Rocky IV, to a hairless, shirtless and ripped Brad Pitt in Thelma and Louise or Fight Club in the 1990s.

Thus began a pervasiveness within the media of hairlessness as the new norm. It is rare that one sees a chest these days with much more than a treasure trail adorning it. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine confessed to shaving his chest frequently. He said it started when he started to read GQ and saw how different he looked from most of the men in the magazine. He’s an attractive, muscular guy, but felt hopelessly inadequate because of his body hair. I laughed at him at the time and made fun of him for being a metrosexual, but looking back on the experience, I regret teasing him. His shaving wasn’t a result of metrosexuality, but a response to the way men are now taught that they need to look. While the media’s unrealistic expectations of women is well-known and questioned within feminist communities, we need to also address the pressure put upon men to look a certain way. Men shouldn’t be ashamed of their body hair , just as women shouldn’t be ashamed that they’re not necessarily a size two. Your body hair is a part of who you are and it’s not worth being self-conscious about it.

Whether you have a hairy chest, a hairy back, or only a patch of fuzz in the center of your chest, you’re sexy. Nothing feels better than lying next to you and stroking your manly chest hair. I beg the men out there to stop shaving, waxing and plucking your excess hair. The modern media might not encourage your body hair, but it is sexy and natural. Men need to start questioning the media’s portrayal of male body hair and accepting themselves for who they are. Show comments

Question: What are you if you are hirsute?
Answer: Hairy